An innovative Vancouver theatre company has been tackling the issue of mental health with its latest production, maladjusted. The interactive play is created and performed by patients with mental health issues and caregivers, and gives the audience a chance to weigh in on how the stories told will end. David Diamond, artistic director of Theatre for Living, says everyone involved in the production has experienced struggles with the “mechanization of the health system.” The 32-year-old theatre company has deep ties with mental health organizations and throughout the years has realized that the system was getting harder to deal with over time.

“Nochebuena” is the Spanish word for “Christmas Eve” and across Latin American countries, and the Phillippines, there are unique ways to celebrate the holiday. In Cuban, for example, the tradition is a family dinner that features a pig roast, while the Phillipines mark it with meal served after midnight Christmas Mass. Here in Vancouver, Nochebueno will be marked by a delightful craft fair, featuring locally made gifts, and homemade treats.

Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside is considered by many the city’s founding neighbourhood. For more than 125 years, people have lived, loved and laughed on Downtown Eastside streets. In a city as new and changing as Vancouver, it’s a well of history and culture – even though it’s often dismissed as Vancouver’s poorest neighbourhood.

The annual Heart of the City Festivalthis Oct.24-Nov. 4 gives locals and visitors a chance to celebrate and explore the Downtown Eastside. Over the course of 12 days, the neighbourhood will host more than 80 cultural events: music, stories, poetry, art exhibits, films, theatre, history walks, workshops and more. Many of the events highlight local talent right from the neighbourhood itself.

Here are 5 can’t-miss free events at this year’s Heart of the City Fest:

Barrio Flamenco, Flamenco for the People: Fiery flamenco music is a people’s art form – played and dance with as much spirit and passion as technical know-how. This event features some of the city’s best flamenco artists, celebrating the joy and struggles of the Downtown Eastside. Carnegie Theatre, 401 Main. Friday, Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m.

The two-hour, guided tours are being offered four times a day this week as part of Homelessness Action Week. The tours are led by trained guides and organized by two local outreach organizations, the Union Gospel Mission and Mission Impossible.

Anyone who’s spent hours getting lost on the popular online craft market Etsy knows that there’s a lot of talented and creative people out there – many of whom live in Vancouver. Well, there’s now an opportunity to go behind the velvet curtain of mystery that we call the Internet and meet the folks behind the crafts.

Inside Vancouver is a multi-author blog, written by Vancouverites about Vancouver. Our goal is to give an insider’s view of Vancouver, to provide information, stories and opinions from the locals’ perspective about this great city.